Hamilton Spec Article: Neil longlisted for Polaris Music Prize
Neil Young longlisted for Polaris Music Prize
LUKE DOUCET. Hamilton’s Luke Doucet, Grammy-winning Montreal rockers Arcade Fire and Neil Young are among a list of 40 Canadian artists who have been longlisted for the $30,000 Polaris Music Prize. Spectator file photo Source: Spectator file photo
June 16, 2011
Hamilton’s Luke Doucet, Grammy-winning Montreal rockers Arcade Fire and Neil Young are among a list of 40 Canadian artists who have been longlisted for the $30,000 Polaris Music Prize.
The 40 nominees, announced Thursday, will be whittled down to a short list of 10 to be announced July 6, with a winner to be crowned at a gala on September 19.
The long list includes plenty of familiar names, including Ron Sexsmith, Stars, Buck 65 and Black Mountain. Doucet’s acclaimed album is Steel City Trawler.
But many buzzy artists found themselves receiving their inaugural Polaris acknowledgment for their debut releases, including Toronto indie R&B outfit the Weeknd, Montreal-based singer-songwriter Little Scream and the Kingston, Ont., duo PS I Love You.
This is the sixth year of the Polaris, which seeks to honour the best Canadian album from the previous year. The prize is judged solely on artist merit, without regard to genre or record sales, and is voted on by 227 music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada.
Past winners include Dundas native Caribou.